Significant progress has been reported in the ongoing efforts to structure the African mediation process aimed at restoring peace in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (RDC). This development emerged during the semiannual technical evaluation meeting held from June 7 to 8, 2026, in Lomé, under the leadership of Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, the Togolese President and African Union mediator for the crisis.
Following an earlier ministerial session, President Gnassingbé presided over the evaluation of regional peace initiatives. The diplomatic gathering brought together the African Union’s College of Facilitators alongside representatives from the United Nations, the East African Community, the Economic Community of Central African States, the Southern African Development Community, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
During the proceedings, President Gnassingbé emphasized the importance of this collective commitment to regional stability. He highlighted that the discussions in Lomé have been instrumental in consolidating various peace-building initiatives. “We have made substantial strides since January in organizing the architecture of the African mediation. I am confident this meeting represents a vital step toward improving our collective action,” the mediator stated.
The mediation framework, established earlier this year, delegates specific responsibilities to a panel of former African heads of state:
- Olusegun Obasanjo (Nigeria): Military and security affairs.
- Sahle-Work Zewde (Ethiopia): Humanitarian concerns.
- Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya): Dialogue with local armed groups.
- Mokgweetsi Masisi (Botswana): Regional economic cooperation.
- Catherine Samba-Panza (Central African Republic): Civil society, reconciliation, and gender issues.
The mediator underscored that moving forward, the focus will remain on enhancing the complementarity and coordination of these mechanisms. Despite the inherent challenges of the conflict in the eastern RDC, the mediation team remains committed to fostering long-term stability through concertation between regional and international stakeholders.
